Independent voting apparatus for voting-machines.



No. 777,007. IPATENTED'DEG. 6, 1904.

' C. DE GROES. INDEPENDENT VOTING APPARATUS FOR VOTING MACHINES.

. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 190$.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

9 M f k.

42 a? all PATENTBD DEC. 6, 190A.

0. DE 0E0Es.

INDEPENDENT VOTING APPARATUS FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25.1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

NO MODEL.

PATENTED DEC. 6, 1904 0. DE OROES. INDEPENDENT VOTING APPARATUS FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLIGATION TILED FEB. 25, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

gum/M1501:

UNITED STATES Patented December 6, 1904,

'- PATENT OFFICE.

CLEMENT DE CROES, OF VVESTPORT, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOSIER VOTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA, A CORPORA- TION OF INDIANA.

INDEPENDENT VOTING APPARATUS FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,007, dated December 6, 1904.

Original application filed November 6, 1903, Serial No. 180,054 Divided and this application filed February 25, 1904. Serial No. 195,140. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLEMENT Dn CRons, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVest port, in the county of Decatur and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Independent Voting Apparatus for Voting-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus bywhich voters may cast printed or written ballots for r 5 independent candidates or for those of their own choice for any given office at elections where voting-machines may be employed, the invention having reference particularly to independent voting apparatus that is adapted to be interlocked with the apparatus of votingmachines that are designed for voting for regularly-nominated candidates for the various oflices.

The principal features of the present invention were included in the application for Letters Patent filed by me November 6, 1903, Serial No. 180,054, and this application is filed in compliance with a requirement for division made in said prior application.

The principal object of this invention is to improve independent voting apparatus generally, so as to be cheaply constructed and be durable in use in connection with registers of various types; and another object is to provide simple means for interlocking independent vote mechanism with mechanism for regularcandidate voting.

This invention is designed to be connected particularly to such improved voting ma- 4 chines as those described in reissued Letters Patent No. 11,933, dated September 24:, 1901, original No. 594:,986, dated December 7, 1897, and in the application for Letters Patent filed by me November 6, 1903, Serial No. 1530,05 1.

In the voting-machines above referred to horizontally-movable lock-out bars are employed for preventing illegal operations of the registers by voters, and in the present invention operative connection is made with the lock-out bars for preventing both independent 5 voting and voting for nominated candidates by any voter, so that each voter may vote for one candidate only for each oflice whether on party-tickets or independently.

This invention consists of novel ballot-receptacles, novel carriers to receive the ballots and deposit them in the receptacles, and in improved lock out and interlocking lockout mechanism for preventing repeating by voters; and the invention consists, further, in the novel parts and the combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings portions of a voting-machine with which the present improvements are adapted to cooperate are illustrated sufiiciently to show the connections between the two types of apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the keyboard of a section of a voting-machine containing the present improvements; Fig. 2, a horizontal sectional view approximately on the line 1 1 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view as on the line2 2 in Fig. 2; Fig. 1, a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view as on the line 3 3 in Fig. 3, showing the fronts of ballot-receptacles and devices for holding the ballots in the receptacles; Fig. 5,

a vertical transverse sectional view as on the line 1 1 in Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a fragmentary reproduction of a portion of Fig. 5 on an enlarged scale; Fig. 7, a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view as on the line 3 3 in Fig. 3 looking toward the front of the ma- 8 5 chine, showing an open shutter at the slot designed to receive independent ballots; Fig. 8, an elevation of the rear of the machine with the rear door off and the registers removed, showing the rear of the ballot-receptacles and the lock-out bars; Fig. 9, a View similar to Fig. 3, but with parts shown as when a ballot is being deposited in a receptacle; Fig. 10, a perspective view of a ballot-carrier and parts of the operating-key therefor minus the tray for supporting the ballot; Fig. 11, a perspective "iew of a tray of a ballot-carrier; Fig. 12. a perspective view of a gathering-arm for assisting in placing the ballots in the receptacles and holding them there; Fig. 18', a perspective view of a ballot-receptacle; Fig. 14, a fragmentary horizontal sectional view reproducing on an enlarged scale a portion of Fig. 2, but with the ballot-tray and a gatheringarm inclined. as they would appear when a ballot is about to be deposited from the tray; Fig. 15, a perspective view of a latch for a lock-out bar adapted to form part of the lockout mechanism for the independent ballots, and Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a lever which connects a latch with a shutter for a ballot-slot.

Similar reference characters in the several figures of the drawings indicate corresponding parts or features.

In the drawings, a a designate the sides of a section of a voting-machine case or frame, and Z; the rear door thereof hung on hinges c and having a lock (Z. The keyboard A is at the front of the mechanism, and at the rear of the keyboard is a vertical plate 0, as a partition, supporting the inner ends of the operating-keys C O (f for the main parts of the machine and also the inner ends of the keys for the independentapparatus, the keyboard supporting the outer ends of the keys. Ticketholders B are provided at the front of the keyboard, in which regular-nominated tickets f are inserted. In the rear part of the machine suitable registers g are mounted to be operated by the keys, each register having an operating-wheel 72/, adapted to be engaged by the key designed therefor. In a plane between the keys and the registers is a vertically-movable frame D, supporting horizontally-movable lock-out bars F F, at one side of which is a horizontally-movable skeleton plate E, having a wing cooperating with the lock-out bars. The operating-keys have retractingsprings 2' 2", and limiting-bars j are provided, so that no more than one key in any horizontal row of keys may be operated by any voter by simultaneous movements. The lock-out bars F F prevent the operation of any key in a given horizontal row after one key in such row may have been operated, and they also prevent the operation of all of the keys until released by a retractor Z1, which opposes the bars by means of a spring Z. The retractor may be withdrawn by suitable means. The frame D may be elevated, and thus lift the look-out bars, so as to permit the keys to be operated, one in each horizontal row, the frame being carried by a suitable main operating-bar Gr, supported by arms at at, 0011 nected by links a, which maybe connected to any suitable device for proper control thereof. A vertical apertured plate H serves as a stop for all of the lock-out bars F F opposite to the retractor k. In the main portion of the machine, when the lock-out bars are depressed, no operating-kcy can be pushed into contact with its register. hen the bars are elevated, the first key in each horizontal row that is operated to register a vote will move the bar in that row, so as to prevent the movement of all other keys in the same row. Suitable latches are provided to prevent the retraction of the lock-out bars until the proper time for this to take place.

The independent voting apparatus proper includes a section of the keyboard that is provided with horizontally-disposed slots I I in a vertical row, into which the independent ballots in the form of cards or paper may be inserted. The names of the offices may be placed at the slots to indicate what oflicers are to be elected. An operating-key J or J is provided for each slot. Suitable horizontal plates p are provided for supporting parts of the mechanism, and a vertical apertured frame-plate q is employed near the plate H, also for supporting parts of the mechanism. Preferably the keys, as J, are offset or made in two parts, the inner part, as J, for directly engaging a register 9 being connected to the outer part by means of a coupler 1'. Each key J or J 2 is provided with a carrier-frame K, having an arm 6 at one end thereof secured. to the key-body and also having an arm 7 at the opposite end thereof. The arm 6 is provided with a projection 8 and the arm 7 with a projection 9 for operating the gatheringarms for the ballot-receptacles. The carrierframe also includes arms 10 and 11, having each a pivot-hole 12, the arms being preferably formed as parts of a base s, secured to the body of the carrier. The carrier-frame is provided with a movable or tilting tray L, having a ledge 13 at its rear, and also arms 1 1 and 141, in which are pivotholes 15. The arm 1 1 has a recess 16 in the outer face thereof. The tray is pivotally supported on the carrier frame by pivots 17 in the holes 12 and 15, the free forward edge of the tray normally resting upon the carrier-frame. The inner parts J or J of the operatingkeys may be suitably designed to correspond with the other keys in the main part of the machine, a suitable number of registers y being provided therefor, so that the number of independent ballots deposited may be counted for the various offices and the oflicers for whom votes may be cast. The plates H and (1 have suitable apertures, as 18, to permit unobstructed movements of the carrier-frame and the member '2, connected to the o1')erating keys J or J.' A linger t is suitably supported, as by a plate in the path of movement of each ballot-carrier, so as to be engaged by the arm 11 in the recess 16 for tilting the tray at the front of a receptacle for ballots, the arm acting as a lever controlling the movements of the tray on its pivots.

At the inner side of the keyboard A opposite each ballot-slot I or I is 'a shutter M, attached to a shaft 10, having a crank '0 and journaled in suitable bearings, as w, in the side a and the plate q. The shutters normally close the slots to prevent illegal depositing of ballots, but are connected operatively with the main machine, so as to be interlocked thereby, as will hereinafter appear.

Above one end of each lock-out bar, as F, is a latch N, mounted on a pivot .71, attached to the stop-plate H, the plate having a projecting pin y, on which one end of the latch is normally pressed by a spring 19, mounted on the plate H, the latch having a pivot-hole 20 between its ends to receive the pivot 03, the opposite end of the latch having a Wrist-pin 21 at a side thereof. On a pivot 22, attached to the plate H, is a lever O, having a pivothole 23 near its center receiving the pivot, one end of the lever having a slot 24, receiving the pin 21, and the opposite end having a slot 25, receiving the pin of a crank o of a shutter M. WVhen the latch rests on the pin 1 the shutter will close an opposite ballot-slot, as indicated inFig. 6, the shutter being shown in broken lines. When a voter prepares to vote, by suitable mechanism the lock-out bars will be elevated and raise the latches I, thus swinging the shutters and opening the ballotslots. If a lock-out bar be moved horizontally, its latch will drop from the bar to the pin 51 and permit the shutter to close the slot. After all voting is done the look-out bars will be depressed and retracted under the latches.

A suitable number of ballot-receptacles I one for each ballot-slot, are provided, into which the ballots are to be deposited by the tray of the carrier. Each receptacle has a ledge 26 at the front of the bottom thereof; otherwise the front of the receptacle is open, and the rear end thereof has back pieces 27 and 28, extending from the sides of the receptacle, the sides having flanges 29 and 30 at the tops thereof for their support on suitable brackets 31, attached to the side a and the plate q. The receptacles may slide so as to be removed at the rear of the machine, In each receptacle is an abutment Q, movable on the bottom thereof and provided with a spring 32 on its top for engagement with the bottom of the next upper receptacle or with a plate P at the top of the uppermost receptacle.

At opposite sides of the front of each receptacle P a pair of gathering-arms R R are suitably supported, each by means of a post 33, pivoted at its ends in suitable supports, or, if

' preferred, the arm may move pivotally on a rigid post, each arm having a finger S, adapted to be engaged by a projection 8 or 9 of the carrier-frame. Each arm is provided with a spring 34:. normally pressing the arm toward the front of the adjacent receptacle, so that ballots may be held on edge in the receptacle against the abutment by means of the arms,

the latter being designed to assist in transferring ballots from the trays to the receptacles. Stops 50 are provided to limit movements of arms R R toward the receptacles.

It will be understood that the independent voting apparatus may be extended in capacity and may be arranged in the various sections of voting-machines and be suitably interlocked With the interlocking mechanism thereof.

The various parts of the apparatus are designed to be cheaply stamped out of sheet metal or machine-molded, so that little or no machinery will be required in fitting and finishingthe parts.

In practical use preparatory to voting, the shutters M having been opened simultaneously with the releasing of the keys for the regular tickets, the keys for the independent apparatus will also be released by reason of the elevation of the look-out bars F or F, so that ballots of prescribed sizes maybe inserted in the slots I or I and pushed onto the trays L. It is de signed that the slots may each receive but one thickness of card or paper of which the ballots are composed. If a ballot be inserted in the slot I and the key J 2 J be then operated, the ballot will be deposited in the proper receptacle therefor and the vote will be registered on the proper register 9, the key in its movement towardthe register causing (by suitable means) the horizontal movement of the lock-out bar F, locking out all of the other keys in the same horizontal row and permitting the latch N of the bar to drop onto its rest-pin ;2 thus permitting the shutter M to close the slot through which the ballot was inserted, thus preventing the same voter from voting again for any one for the same office. If now any key in any other horizontal row be operated, all of the remaining keys in such row will be locked out and the shutters connected with such rows will be closed. In pushing in the key J (or any one like it) the ballot-carrier will move therewith, the arm 14 engaging the finger I? and the projections 8 and 9 engaging the fingers S, the arms R It being moved radially out of the way of the tray L, while the latter is being tilted to deposit the ballot (Z in Fig. 9) into the ballot-receptacle. The tray will tilt over the top of the ledge 26, so that the ballot may fall behind the ledge against the abutment Q. As the key begins to retract and the tray withdraws from the ballot the arms It R will swing against the ballot and hold it against the abutment until the next operation takes place. The abutment Q will be moved rearwardly as fast as necessary by the accumulating ballots that may be packed against it by the gathering-arms. After each voter has finished the apparatus will be automatically reset, as will be understood. At the close of the poll the ballots may be removed from the receptacles and counted and then compared with the registers as a check. In some cases, however, the registers for the independent voting apparatus may be dispensed with.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. A voting-machine including a ballot-receptacle, an operating device provided with a ballot-carrier having a tilting tray mounted thereon, and devices for tilting the tray at the receptacle.

2. A voting-machine including a keyboard having slots therein, ballot-receptacles opposite the keyboard, shutters normally closing passages between the slots of the keyboard and the ballot-receptacles, operating-keys mounted in the keyboard, lock-out bars cooperating with the operating-keys, latches cooperating with the lock-out bars, and operating mechanism for the shutters cooperating with the lockout bars and also with the latches.

3. A voting-machine including a keyboard having apertures therein, ballot-receptacles, shutters at the apertures of the keyboard, ballot-carriers mounted movably between the keyboard and the receptacles, means for operating the carriers, and interlocking mechanism cooperating with the shutters and the means for operating the carriers.

4. A voting-machine including a keyboard having apertures therein, ballot-receptacles, ballot-carriers movable between the keyboard and the receptacles and having each a movable tray thereon, means for operating the carrier, and means for moving the tray relatively to the carrier therefor.

5. A Voting-machine including a keyboard having slots therein, shutters mounted opposite to the slots of the keyboard, ballot-receptacles opposite the keyboard, operating-keys mounted in the keyboard, lock-out bars cooperating with the operating-keys, means cooperating with the lock-out bars and also with the shutters for moving the shutters from the slots, latches cooperating with the look-out bars, and means cooperating with the latches and also with the shutters for returning the shutters opposite to the slots.

6. A voting-machine including a plurality of ballot-receptacles having each a ledge at the front of the bottom thereof, a plurality of movable abutments, one in each receptacle,

arriers for depositing ballots over the ledge into the receptacles, and gathering devices for packing the ballots against the abutments.

7 A voting-machine including a keyboard having apertures therein, a plurality of registers, a plurality of ballot-receptacles, a plurality of ballot-carriers operating between the keyboard and the receptacles, a plurality of operating-keys for the registers, means for operating the carriers, limiting-bars for the operating-keys, and interlocking mechanism cooperating with the operating-keys.

8. A voting-machine including a keyboard having apertures therein, ballot-receptacles opposite the keyboard, ballot-carriers at the keyboard provided with tilting trays, shutters mounted at the apertures in the keyboard, registers opposite the keyboard, operatingkeys for the registers and the ballot-carriers, lock-out devices for the operating-keys, latches for the look-out devices having operative connection with the shutters, and means for controlling the trays.

9. Avoting-machineincludingan apertured keyboard, swinging shutters at theinner side of the keyboard opposite the apertures thereof, movable ballot-carriers at the shutters, receptacles to receive ballots from the carriers, operating-keys mounted in the keyboard and attached to the carriers, springs for closing the shutters, and means cooperating with the operating-keys and the springs for opening the shutters.

10. A voting-machine including an apertured keyboard, swinging shutters opposite the apertures of the keyboard, ballotreceptacles opposite the keyboard, movable carriers for carrying ballots from the apertures in the keyboard to the ballot-receptacles, means for operating the carriers, and movable devices cooperating with the carriers for gathering the ballots into the ballot-receptacles.

11. Avoting-machine includingakeyboard having slots therein, swinging shutters mounted opposite the slots of the keyboard, ballotreceptacles opposite the keyboard, operatingkeys mounted in the keyboard, lock-out bars cooperating with the operating-keys, latches cooperating with the lock-out bars, and levers operatively connected with the latches and also with the swinging shutters.

12. A voting-machine including a keyboard having a plurality of slots therein provided each with a shutter, a plurality of registers, a plurality of ballot-receptacles, a plurality of ballot-carriers, a plurality of operating-keys of which each key controls a ballot-carrier and a shutter operation and cooperates with a register, and interlocking mechanism cooperating with the plurality of operatingkeys and also with the shutters.

13. A voting-machine including a keyboard having ballot-receiving slots therein provided with movable shutters, receptacles for ballots, automatic devices for closing and locking the shutters in closed positions, mechanism for opening the shutters, operating -keys and mechanism for controlling the admission of ballots to the receptacles from the slots in the keyboard, registers corresponding to the operating-keys to be operated thereby, separate series of registers and operating-keys therefor, and interlocking lock-out mechanism cooperating with all of the operating-keys and also with the automatic devices for causing the same to close and lock the shutters.

14. A voting-machineincludingakcyboard having ballot-slots therein, ballot-receptacles, movable carriers at the slots having tilting ICC trays thereon and provided with operatingkeys, and stationary devices in the paths of movement of the trays of the carriers fol-tilting the trays at the ballot-receptacles 15. A voting-machine including a plurality of registers, a plurality of operating-keys for the registers and provided with ballot-carriers, receptacles to receive ballots from the carriers, and lock-out mechanism for the opcrating-keys.

16. In a voting-machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, a plurality of opcrating-keys for the registers, and lock-out mechanism for the operating-keys, of a keyboard having a plurality of slots therein, a plurality of ballot-receptacles, a plurality of movable carriers having tilting trays thereon, operating-keys connected to the carriers, trip devices for tilting the trays at the receptacles, and lock-out mechanism for the operatingkeys of the carriers interlocked With the lockout mechanism for the operating-keys of the registers.

17 In a votingmachine, the combination With a keyboard having slots therein, and opcrating-keys mounted in the keyboard, of carriers operatively connected with the operating-keys and provided with movable trays normally situated at the slots to receive independent ballots, receptacles for the ballots, means for tilting the trays at the receptacles, and gathering-arms tor the ballots cooperating'with the carriers.

18. In a voting-machine, the combination of a keyboard having ballotreceiving slots therein, shutters mounted at the slots provided With spring-actuated closing mechanism, receptacles for ballots, automatic devices for opening the shutters, a plurality of series of registers, a plurality of series of operatingkeys for the registers, mechanism connected with and controlled by a series of the operating keys for controlling the admission of ballots from the slots to the receptacles, and interlocking lock-out mechanism cooperating with all of the operating-keys and also with the spring-actuated mechanism for opposing the operation thereof and also for releasing the same to close the shutters.

19. In a voting-machine, the combination of a keyboard having ballot-receiving slots, shutters provided with cranks and mounted opposite the receiving-slots, receptacles for ballots, means for normally holding the shutters in closed positions, means for simultaneously opening all of they shutters, operating-keys and mechanism for controlling the admission of ballots to the receptacles, and lock out mechanism cooperating with the operating-keys for closing the shutters.

20. In a voting-machine, the combination with a plurality of ballot-receptacles and a plurality otyregisters, of a plurality of carriers for ballots operating at the fronts of the receptacles, and a plurality of operating-keys for the registers and the carriers having each a lateral offset in the body thereof, the longitudinal axes of the two end portions thereof being in different parallel planes.

21. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of ballot-receptacles, a plurality of operating-keys for controlling the admission of ballots to the receptacles, movable abutments in the receptacles having frictionsprings, and bearings for the springs.

22. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of ballot-receptacles, movable abutments in the receptacles, a plurality of operating-keys for controlling the admission of ballots to the receptacles, and gatheringarms cooperating with the operating-keys for gathering and packing ballots in the re ceptacles against the abutments.

23. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of ballot-receptacles movably supported and having each a ledge at one end of the bottom thereof, movable abutments in the receptacles, springs attached to the abutments, and means for controlling the admission of ballots to the receptacles.

26L. In a voting-machine, the combination with a plurality of ballot-receptacles, and carriers for controlling the admission of ballots to the receptacles, of a plurality of gatheringarms movable radially at the fronts of the receptacles and having fingers in the paths of parts of the carriers to be operated thereby.

25. In a voting-machine, the combination with a plurality of ballot-receptacles, and a plurality of operating-keys, of a plurality of carriers attached to the operating-keys, each carrier having a tilting tray pivoted thereon provided with an arm, and stationary fingers situated in the paths of the arms of the trays.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLEMENT DE GROES. Witnesses:

J. WV. SIZKORA, OTTO HLAvAoELo. 

